Daniela Heilmann | Shifting Identities: A Diachronic Analysis of Funerary Practices in Macedonia during the 1st Millennium BCE

Institute of Classical Archaeology at CU FA invites you to a lecture by Daniela Heilmann (Munich) as part of the “Current Issues in Archaeology” lecture series.

This lecture investigates shifts in social structures in the Southern Balkans during the Bronze and Iron Ages through an analysis of grave furnishings, including attire, jewelry, and other burial goods such as vessels. By examining the changing patterns in grave goods across the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age, the study reveals diachronic trends that reflect broader societal transformations. An increase in the variety and quantity of objects placed in graves suggests evolving values around identity, status, and inheritance within these communities. This trend may indicate a growing emphasis on the social roles of individuals and the preservation of wealth and status across generations. Through the study of burial practices over the 2nd and 1st millennia BCE, this research sheds light on the development of complex social hierarchies and offers new insights into the shifting dynamics of ancient Balkan societies.